Never Alone
by sova enari
Summary: Kira has to come to terms with her father's death and her new resistance mission to Terok Nor. Set during the Bajoran Occupation after the events in Ties of Blood and Water and leading up to Necessary Evil.
1. The Conversation

**Disclaimer: Paramount owns the characters mentioned in this story and all other things in Star Trek, I'm just borrowing them for stories :)**

**Please review and tell me your thoughts after reading!**

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Kira looked up from the piece of machinery she was cleaning as a shadow fell over her. Shakaar looked down at her gravely.

"Let's take a walk," he said. She nodded and stood up, walking out after him. The Cardassians were leaving them well enough alone this summer, too busy with the Kohn-Ma to worry about the Shakaar which gave them some breathing space if nothing else. Kira kept her eyes firmly fixed on the ground as they walked through the tunnels.

"You haven't been yourself lately."

Kira smiled bitterly. "I guess not."

Shakaar stopped and gripped her arm.

"Nerys," he said his voice commanding. She forced herself to look up at him, his blue eyes were filled with sympathy. She twisted angrily away from him.

"I'm fine!" she snapped. "One man dies; it's not the end of life!"

"But he wasn't just one man, Nerys. He was your father and I know you were close to him. Lupaza and Furel are both worried about you. So am I."

"Well you can stop worrying and tell them not to as well. I'm a stronger person than you all give me credit for."

With that, she turned and marched back into the caves. Shakaar sighed.

"Kira, I'm not finished," he called.

She stopped and he could see the fight going on inside her. The soldier in her won out and slowly she turned. Edon started at the pain in her eyes, pain she'd never let show before, never-before-seen tears that threatened to spill over her cheeks.

"Is there something about the mission next month you want to discuss with me, sir?" she asked. A note of desperation entered her voice. Shakaar walked towards her and tilted her chin up to look him in the eye.

"Kira, this is war, people you love are going to die, that's what war is. We're all going through the same thing. I just want you to know that. And if you want someone else to go up to the space station instead of you, I'll understand. I've lost too many good fighters this way and I especially don't want to lose you. Understood?"

Kira nodded. "But that doesn't change anything. I'm still going next month."

Shakaar let her go. "If that's want you want."

She nodded and started to head back inside. Halfway there, she stopped and turned hesitantly.

"Shakaar?"

He looked up.

"Thank you."

She hurried quickly inside before he could reply and Shakaar sighed. "You're welcome."


	2. Dealing With Death

**Ok, I was bored so decided to do another chapter for this story, even though it was only supposed to be a oneshot :)**

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The wind was cold against her face and Kira wrapped her arms around her knees to try and stay warm. Out of the corner of her eye she could see her father's grave and she gripped herself harder to stop herself from crying. She tried to focus on her mission; to retrieve the list of Bajoran collaborators from Terok Nor. It was a huge assignment, she'd felt so proud when Shakaar had trusted it to her. Now, though...

She sighed and rested her chin on her knees as she gave in to memories from years past.

_

* * *

_

Lupaza watched Kira from the mouth of the cave and sighed. Furel looked up.

"What's wrong now?" he asked.

"Nerys," she replied softly. "I'm worried about her."

* * *

Kira looked up sharply as Furel's voice brought her out of her memories.

"You all set?" he was asking.

She nodded, getting to her feet. He smiled at her.

"What?"

He shook his head, still smiling to himself. "Nothing. Shakaar wants to see you before you leave."

She shoved the disruptor into a crate. "Where is he?"

"Through there," Furel replied motioning down the tunnel. "He's with Elena. I'd give them a few moments, if I were you."

Kira rolled her eyes and settled down to wait.

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	3. Meeting Vaatrick

**Chapter three :) (Just in case you got lost!)**

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Kira looked around the transport as it drew closer to its destination. She was so close to her goal now...

She jumped as someone tapped her shoulder and looked into the smiling face of Gantt.

"Jumpy, Kira?" he asked.

"Sit down," she muttered. She still felt uncomfortable around Gantt (not that she would show it) and would have preferred Furel or Lupaza to have been the other member going to the station. Whenever Gantt was around she couldn't escape the fact that he had been with her father when he died, when it should have been her.

It should have been her.

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Vaatrick Edrin watched the red haired beauty from the other side of the promenade. The past week, she had come into his shop occasionally and he had offered her ginger tea, where an uneasy friendship had been formed.

He glanced up at the chronometer and smiled. Time to close up and get back to the private quarters he shared with Pallra.

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Nerys crept quietly towards the chemist's shop and picked the lock, slipping in before anyone noticed her.

The list.

She made her way over to the wall panel, searching in her bag for her gun.

And then it happened.

The doors opened, admitting the collaborator. Vaatrick stopped short and stared at her.

She froze.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded.

"I-I left something," she lied.

"But you picked the lock," he said frowning. "Why didn't you wait until morning when I opened the shop?"

Kira's hand crept into her bag as she tried to think up an excuse.

"It was important. It couldn't wait until morning," she whispered. Her hand closed around the disruptor and she squeezed it comfortingly. "I'll leave now."

He moved in her way stopping her from leaving. Kira fought to remain calm.

"Look, I'm sorry," she said. "I should've waited for morning."

He glared suspiciously down at her. "I've seen your face before..."

"I've been here for a week."

"No, before that..." his eyes widened. "The Shakaar."

Kira pulled her disruptor out of her bag and pointed it at his chest. He froze.

"I don't want to kill you, Vaatrick," Kira said in a low voice. "But if you don't let me leave now and forget about this I'll have no choice. Do you understand?"

He didn't move.

Kira made her way slowly towards the door.

* * *

Vaatrick watched Kira start to move towards her exit and chose that moment to lunge for the com panel at the desk.

* * *

Kira fired instantly and his body fell heavily to the ground beside the wall. Breathing heavily, she left the shop quickly and made her way to the meeting point she'd arranged with Gantt.

There was no need to check Vaatrick's pulse. She knew death when she saw it.

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**Review?**


	4. Relationships

**Chapter Four**

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"Ziyal, come here and eat your breakfast, sweetheart."

Naprem ushered her daughter over to the table.

"Where's Father?" Ziyal asked, helping herself to some moba fruit. Naprem paused, wondering whether to tell her the truth.

"He had to go into work earlier today," she said finally.

Ziyal's shoulders slumped in disappointment. "He said we would go down to Bajor today."

"We'll go another day."

Dukat slammed his fist down on the computer, cutting off the transmission abruptly. His thoughts wandered back to Naprem's disappointed face that morning when he'd told her the trip was cancelled. She'd been looking forward to going to Bajor for weeks and he _hated _the fact that he'd had to ruin it for her. Again.

Sighing, he made his way to the replicator and ordered a cup of hot red leaf tea.

He made his way back to the desk and settled down to wait for his next visitor.

Odo glanced around as he was ushered into the chemist's shop. Sitting behind the desk, was the arrogant figure of the station prefect, Gul Dukat.

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Gantt shook his head. "We have to get off the station."

"There isn't another transport for two days!" Kira snapped tiredly. "We just have to lie low for a couple of days then we can get back to Dakhur."

Gantt sighed. "Easier said than done."

"I'll see you tomorrow night, same time same place," she said. "I'm going to find somewhere to sleep."

He caught her arm as she turned to walk away.

"Nerys, we should talk," he said quietly.

"What about?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady as she knew what was coming. She couldn't cope with this... not now...

"Us," he whispered, brushing the hair behind her ear. He kissed her softly. Kira gasped and pushed him away.

"Stop it," she commanded trying to control herself. She turned away from the disappointed man.

"I'm sorry."

She felt herself shudder and clenched her fists. Gantt pulled her round.

"I'm sorry," he repeated. "It shouldn't have been me there. I'm sorry that it was. But this doesn't have to come between us."

He kissed her again, more passionately this time. Kira trembled as she returned the kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I love you, Nerys..." he mumbled. "You know I do."

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Naprem looked out over the promenade as the shapeshifter walked past with the chemist's wife. She followed their gaze to see a young red-haired woman collecting her soup ration and her curiosity piqued. A grey hand on her shoulder made her jump. She turned to see Dukat behind her.

"You shouldn't be out here," he said in a low voice.

"I know," she replied softly. "But I had to get out of the quarters before I went insane."

He stroked her arm lightly. "Let's get back."

Naprem stepped forlornly into the quarters and started to walk into the kitchen.

"Naprem, I'm sorry," he said.

She was silent for a while, twisting her hands. "I don't want to be stuck in here forever."

He crossed the distance between them quickly and took her hands. He stroked the black hair off her face and kissed her cheek.

"I'll take you soon," he promised. "Where's Ziyal?"

"Asleep."

Dukat grinned and kissed her deeply. "In that case..."

He swung her up into his arms, and for a moment Naprem forgot her worries and giggled as Dukat carried her grandly into their bedroom.

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**To be continued....**

**Review and have a nice day!**

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